


Cracked Glass Heart- Mihawk/Shanks

by DefendTheUndefended



Series: Cracked Glass Heart [4]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alpha!Mihawk, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Cracked Glass Heart Series, Difficult Pregnancy, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Love, M/M, Mpreg, Omega!Shanks, Pregnancy complications, i hate tagging!, maybe possible child death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 08:20:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16133363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefendTheUndefended/pseuds/DefendTheUndefended
Summary: I’ll write a better summary later.Omegaverse. Omega!Shanks/Alpha!Mihawk. Mpreg. Pregnancy complications. Relationship ups and downs.





	1. Their Captain’s Heat

Mihawk/Shanks (1)

(Their Captain's Heat) 

Shanks sighed as his headache started to pulsate. His heat was getting closer and he wasn't sure what to do about it this time. 

Before Roger was the one who watched over him and helped him when it got to be too much.   
And Shanks had helped Roger during his ruts while they were out at sea. Shanks had even started to fall for the man before distancing himself when he found out about Rouge, Rogers bonded mate. 

He had been slightly heartbroken but after a while had figured out that his 'love' was more of an overenthusiastic amount of adoration. But the problem still remained. Roger was dead, and oh how much grief he still felt from the thought, and he was never going to dare to ask one of his new shipmates/crew members to help him. Not when there were only few of them so far and their trust was still so fragile. 

Besides it's not like he just go and jump into anyone's bed, even when he was in heat. He would just prefer if he had someone he greatly trusted to watch over him during it and slightly help him along when it got to be too much. Just enough to keep him from going insane. 

But now he didn't have anyone he trusted that much. Trusted not to force a bond on him in the heat of the moment. Or trusted enough to see him in such a vulnerable position. He trusted his men, especially Benn, but he couldn't do that to him. 

He had docked them at an island and told Benn that they'd be staying for two weeks, and to take the crew and go on a small vacation with them. It didn't take long for Benn to figure out what was wrong and nod before going to tell the crew of their unsuspecting vacation. 

Shanks had left the ship before the crew and went to the farthest tavern he could find. Asking for a room and letting the faintest of wisps of conquerers haki, not enough to make anyone pass out but enough to get someone to do what he says no matter what, leak out as he told the male beta not to allow anyone inside. 

He had locked himself in the room and sat on the bed. He had a bit longer before it would hit him full force but not long enough to explore the town before he had to lock himself in. 

He could already feel his head start to pulsate in pain, and dizziness was already starting to affect his balance when he stood. His body had already started to feel heavy and he knew soon he would barely be able to move his own body from a weakness setting into his bones. His vision was already starting to blur and he could feel a light sheen of sweat covering his clothed skin. 

To think it was already this bad and it hadn't even hit him fully yet. That's always how it went for him. 

There was a knock at the door and annoyance spiked in his gut. Hadn't he told the receptionist not to let anyone up. He was gonna pay after two week. 

He didn't say a word after the knock and waited till he heard footsteps walking down the hallway. He didn't really care who it was and probably wouldn't be able to drudge up any haki to find out at the moment anyways. 

His body decided it was tired of waiting at that moment and he felt the heat explode in his blood. His torso convulsed in a painful ache and he fell back into the bed with a gasp tearing from his lips. He groaned and whimpered slightly, before his hands started to claw at his clothes. It was suddenly too hot under them and his hands fell slack before he could unbutton his shirt. 

His vision blurred completely until he could only see colors and a shape. 

His breathing was uneven and stuttered as it came quickly and was painful. Whimpers from the pain escaped him unwillingly and what little he could do to move was just to writhe in pain. 

His mind filled with a fog and his hands clenched onto the sheets. 

He distantly heard a key enter the lock on his door, and although somewhere in the back of his mind he new he would be panicking and trying to force whoever it was trying to get in out, he couldn't bring himself to move or care too greatly. He was ignorant of the world around him even if he could still hear and see it. 

The door opened and the smell of an alpha filled the room, but it wasn't a scent that was trying to overbear him and make him submit to them. It was forcefully calming and soothing. Whoever it was knew how to be around an omega in heat and try to help them by calming them instead of trying to forcefully bond them. 

He heard footsteps walk over and he felt fear spike in the back of his mind. He couldn't see them he had been facing the other way before the weakness set in and now couldn't turn his head to look. He felt a hand touch his collar and he used the little strength he had to jerk away from it. 

It wasn't much of one but if was enough to get the message across that he didn't want whoever it was. The hand let go of his collar and traced up to his face. Grabbing his cheek and slowly turning his head to face the intruder. 

His vision had cleared slightly enough at an alphas touch that he could at least identify the alpha. The fear and nervousness he had felt dissipated as the alpha set off more of a calming scent than before. He had never felt so relieved to see Benn in his life. 

He watched as Benn started to murmur reassurances, and telling him it was going to be alright, while slowly undoing his clothes while touching his skin as minimally as possible. Though his hand slipped a few times and the skin contact was both heaven and hell for him, and each time he groaned and Benn would draw back and apologize before starting on his clothes again. 

By the time Benn had gotten all of them off him Shanks had clinched his eyes shut and grit his teeth. Benn tossed his clothes to the floor carefully working an arm under Shanks shoulders and the other under his knees that were still hanging off the bed, before lifting him up off the bed and turning him to lay down in the middle of the bed. Shanks was a rag doll in his arms and didn't react at all. 

Benn covered him up with the thin blanket before running his fingers through the red hair, already starting to slick with sweat, and then turning and walking out of the room locking it back behind him. 

Benn honestly didn't like seeing his captain like this. Not because he thought it disgusting or repulsive, but because Shanks was such a strong and proud man under such a goofy persona. And to see him physically so weak, sensitive, and in pain was jarring. He hated knowing his captain was like this and there was nothing he could do to help him. 

But he would help him the most he could. He would help him in the ways that he could. And he would protect him while his captain couldn't protect himself. 

He walked down the hall to the only other occupied room, they had made the other attendants on this floor leave, and walked straight in without hesitation. 

Inside were the other few members of the crew he looked at them as they stared back. 

He nodded and they all took off out of the room to go complete the duties he had previously assigned them. Guard duty. Supply restock for the ship. And other things. 

He was left alone in the room and he sighed as he took his gun off of his back and leaned in against the wall by the door. 

His mind flashed back to his captains face, scrunched up in pain and trying so hard not to react to Benn's touches every time his hand slipped. His breath coming fast, heavy, and uneven. And the faint, barely there, whimpers and groans from his throat. 

Shanks may not have wanted to burden the crew with his heat, and may have come to this tavern to bear it out alone, but they weren't going to let him suffer through it alone. They would protect their captain with everything they had. 

No matter what. 

Benn would be the only one to see him through the week because he had such a high tolerance for self control and wasn't easily drawn towards an omega in heat besides his preference wasn't in omegas, so the temptation wasn't as high as it would be. 

They would do what they could during this week and then they would help him recover next week. They would protect him. No matter what they had to do. 

They would protect him. 

 

\----(xXx)----

The next day Shanks couldn't move by himself at all, was covered in sweat and other fluids, and was burning up. 

He didn't sleep that night and he wouldn't be able to for the week. 

Benn couldn't do anything for his captain about the sleep but he sat on the edge of the bed with a cold rag wiping the sweat from his face as Shanks panted, facing away from him. 

He could tell Shanks was exhausted and in so much pain, and he hated that there was nothing he could do for him. 

He set the rag aside and leaned down putting an arm around the red heads shoulders and lifting him up. Adjusting him so his head was on Benn's shoulder and was supported by one arm as he reached down and picked up the glass of water from the floor bringing it to his captains lips and slowly tilting it back so the man could feel what it was before his mouth opened and he greedily gulped it down. Shanks hand shot up and covered Benn's hand over the glass gulping down as much as he could. 

"Slow down." Benn murmured as he pulled back slightly to forcefully make him slow down. 

Finishing the glass his hand fell limp again and his head lulled on Benn's shoulder. The first mate set the glass down before guiding his captain back down onto the bed. Brushing the hair out of his captains eyes before picking up the glass and rag and walking back out. Locking the door behind him. 

\----(xXx)----

By the third day Shanks was almost close to screaming. 

\----(xXx)----

By the fifth Benn had to do a little more than he had been. He had to make him orgasm. 

\----(xXx)----

The seventh day Shanks didn't even have enough energy to keep his eyes open and barely enough to even breathe. 

Benn had to hold him in his arms and slowly keep coaxing him to breath or just reminding him that it was the last day. 

When it finally ended Shank's body sagged as his temperature cooled. One big breath was released from his lungs and his face relaxed as he passed out. 

Shanks sighed in relief and leaned back against the headboard for a moment before maneuvering them both so that Shanks was laying on the bed. 

He would let him rest and come back to help him start recovering when he woke. 

\----(xXx)----

Shanks didn't recover enough to see anyone other than Benn until the third day after his heat ended. And they partied. 

They couldn't leave yet because Shanks would still be weak for four more days and was still pretty exhausted. But that didn't stop them from celebrating that they had their captain back and that they had successfully protected him. 

None of them commented on the past week or teased about it. It just wasn't something you teased about. But that didn't mean they didn't notice how tired their captain was and the bags under his eyes. 

Shanks had been surprised but delighted to find out that the whole crew had been staying at the tavern as well. 

Still they were just glad everything had turned out ok.


	2. The Rose and a Life Changing Decision

Mihawk/Shanks (2)

(The Rose and the Life Changing Decision)

When they met Mihawk they hadn't thought they'd see him again. 

Benn had been a bit wary and suspicious of the alpha when he glanced over at his captain, when Shanks back was turned, with a weird look on his face. 

They had left the island not long after the meeting, more of a fight between his captain and the swordsman, and soon after leaving Benn felt as if his were very well founded. 

Especially when Shanks, in a slightly hysterical confused flushed sputtering, dragged him to the captains quarters and shoved him into the room to show him what was on the bed. 

Because laying there staring back oh so innocently, was a perfectly bloomed red rose that had a long gold, maroon, and black ribbon tied near the base. Long enough that it trailed from where the rose was, the center of the bed, to the edge of the bed and hung off the side several inches with a hawk stitched into one of the tails of the ribbon. 

It was easy to guess who it was from, and he could already feel a headache coming on from what this would mean. 

Because that wasn't just a rose. 

It was a courting rose. 

It was a way for an alpha to show someone that they were interested in them, found them attractive, and even wanted to try out a courtship with them. And it was red which meant that there really was genuinely sincere feelings and intentions from the alpha. 

And it was easy to tell who this one was from. 

Mihawk. 

He looked back at his captain to see he had his hand on the back of his neck and was staring at the floor beneath them with a flustered face. 

Benn's teeth clenched before he spoke, "What are you going to do?" 

His captain startled before looking towards the rose then at him, still in a flustered stutter "I-I don't. I meant. I it's just. Uh-"

"Captain."

Shanks mouth snapped closed and he swallowed. "I don't know."

Benn sighed before nodding and started to walk towards the door. He clamped a hand on his captains shoulder as he passed. "Well whatever you respond make sure it's what you want. I'll support you." With that said he walked out, feeling his captains gaze on his back until he shut the door behind him. 

He glared ahead and clenched his hands at his side. Once again hyperaware of the gun on his back. 

He was saying the truth when he told Shanks that he'd support him, but that didn't change the fact that the man was going for the red head. 

He knew he was kind of acting like an overprotective father who's daughter just brung home her first boyfriend, but he didn't care. If Shanks decided he wanted to respond to Hawkeye with a negative answer, he'd help get rid of the swordsman and yes bullets would fly. If Shanks did the opposite he would still be supportive but Mihawk would not be automatically accepted around his captain, he'd make sure of it himself. 

And if Mihawk was just playing, he ignored the fact that the rose was red, the swordsman would be receive a bullet and an exploded head. 

Even if it's the last thing Benn ever did. 

\----(xXx)----

Shanks twirled the rose around in his hand again, looking it over once again. 

He'd been doing this for so long now he knew every single part of the rose intently already, but he still just couldn't believe it. Someone had actually been interested in him enough to give him a rose. And not just anyone, but Hawkeye. The man well on his way to become the greatest swordsman in the world. 

Who had challenged him to a fight not long after they met and both injuring each other the same severity. Even if Mihawk had been better than him in swordsmanship. 

He had to admit he had been attracted to the man as well, but wasn't even going to try for someone who seemed so far out of his league. 

And yet-

He suddenly set the rose down on the desk in front of him as if it burned him, still staring at it. 

'And yet it's here.' 

He wanted to respond to the alpha. He really did, but everything hung on his answer and it felt too important for a half assed unsure response. But he shouldn't procrastinate any longer than he had. A month was pushing it. He also knew Benn was waiting to know his answer as well. 

He sighed as he stood and left his quarters and walking towards deck. It was nighttime and the chill out was just perfect. He waved to Rocket as the man looked from the crows nest to see who come onto deck. 

The man nodded and disappeared behind the edge again as Shanks made his way to the helm, the only place where there was some semblance of privacy on deck besides the quarters. 

He leaned on the rail with the rose still dangling limply in his fingers. The ribbon blowing from the wind and caressing his side. 

He looked at the rose again before he heard a thump of feet behind him. He turned around to see the man in question standing there in all his glory, with his sword on his back and staring straight at him. 

Shanks quickly glanced at the crows nest to see Rocket pointing his weapon straight at Mihawk, who didn't even glance in his direction, he subtly waved his hand to tell Rocket to stand down and the man obediently dropped his weapon and turned back around to continue keeping watch. 

He turned his eyes back to the swordsman and he met his eyes. He wasn't even able to get a word out before the swordsman spoke. "Its been a month." Shanks hands suddenly felt sweaty and he swallowed hard. "An answer." 

Mihawk sounded annoyed and Shanks could tell just by looking at him that the man was at the end of his rope concerning his patience. 

Shanks swallowed again, suddenly hyperaware of the rose pressed between his hand and the railing of the ship, before meeting Mihawks piercing golden eyes searching. 

He needed to know that if he said yes it wouldn't be the wrong answer. If he said yes and let himself fall in love with this alpha that he wouldn't be broken in the long run. That this man could be as willing to devote himself to Shanks, as he was. 

It took a moment but the red head found his answer. 

There were two options on how to respond to a courting rose. Burning it and the ribbon, or putting the rose in water and tying the ribbon to his wrist. 

Burning meant refusal and water meant acceptance. The ribbon was a special kind at least it was supposed to be. The ribbon would be cut in half, one piece tied to the flower and the other kept by the alpha. Whatever happened to one of the pieces would happen to the other. If one burned the other would as well. 

If a knot was tied into it a knot would appear on the other. 

He knew Mihawk had the other half and probably had been checking the thing daily to see if he had answered or not. 

He picked up the rose again and looked at it, feeling the swordsman' eyes intently watching his movements, before untying the ribbon from it. He grabbed the rose by its stem and flung it out to the ocean, where it continued to float. He took the ribbon and wrapped it around his wrist twice before putting a knot in it to keep it secure. 

After he finished he stopped and hesitantly looked up at Mihawk with a slight blush on his face. What he saw was more than a little surprising. Mihawk's eyes had softened and his stance had become noticeably less tense than it was before. 

He saw something move behind the man and his eyes turned to track it, before widening slightly. It was the other half of the ribbon, a red one with three black diagonal slashes near the end of it. And it was wrapped around the handle of Mihawk's sword. That in itself was amazing, but seeing the ribbon colored to match his hair with a marking that would resemble his Jolly Roger or scars, was breathtaking. Because most alphas that still used the ribbons didn't care about what there half looked like as long as it matched the one given with the rose, but Mihawk had matched his to Shanks. 

It said a lot. About how much the man wanted to be detracted to Shanks. About how the man felt as if Shanks was his equal. 

Shanks flushed and his eyes went back to Mihawk's face when the man moved. Mihawk took the two steps towards him that separated them and his hand reached up to cup the back of Shanks head before pulling him into a blindingly head spinning kiss. 

They weren't technically supposed to do that yet, but Shanks couldn't bring himself to care. 

It felt so right, so breathtakingly fucking right. 

And he never wanted to let go. 

Mihawk was the one to pull back and he looked a little rattled, but Shanks was sure he looked worse because he was suddenly aware that he was panting slightly and his face was burning. 

Mihawk took a step back and looked him over again before speaking. "I won't make you regret it." And then he turned and jumped over the side of the ship, probably to his own little boat. Shanks went to the other railing and looked down at the swordsman as he sailed off, trying to hold himself back from turning around to look at the red head. 

Shanks watched as Mihawk's boat got smaller and small before it completely disappeared. 

He breathed out before bring his wrist up to look at the ribbon tied around it. It fluttered and danced as the breeze pushed and pulled it to its will. He looked back up in the direction Mihawk's boat had disappeared too, and briefly noted that the sun had started to rise turning the ocean its beautiful array of colors.

He smiled.


	3. The Road Was Bumpy But It Led Here

Mihawk/Shanks (3)

(The Road Was Bumpy But It Led Here)

It had been a bumpy road. 

Traditionally a courting was supposed to last a year. And that year had been full of awkwardness, fumbling words and hands, and more than one embarrassment. 

But they got through it. And Mihawk had just fallen more in love with Shanks. Shanks could say the same. 

When Mihawk first saw the redhead he wanted to write him off as just another omega pirate captain, but then they had fought and he had become impressed. 

Impressed because the omega could keep up with him. Impressed because the omega could match him in a fight. 

He had more than impressed him, Shanks had interested him. Made him take notice. 

He hadn't wanted a mate but he had been feeling the need to find one for years now, and had been constantly pushing the need down and trying to ignore it. 

But he thought about sometimes. If he would ever get a mate he wanted someone who wasn't weak and therefore easy for him to loose. He wanted a strong mate. One that could, at least, keep up with him in a fight. 

And then Shanks came along and he started to fall in love with him. 

He knew that not everyone used the courting roses anymore, but he had felt like, to show Shanks he was honestly interested in him, that it was the best way to go about it. 

He had been right and a year later Shanks had let him bond him. 

A month after that he had gone to Shanks first mate and asked him, because Shanks had no family to ask, for his approval to make Shanks his Mate. Benn had been slightly baffled he asked. But had given his approval with several threats along with it. 

He had asked Shanks to become his mate that night and the crew had celebrated when their captain said yes. 

It was several months later and Mihawk had left the ship to go to another one of the fights that would help him into become the greatest swordsman. He was so close to it 

Shanks groaned as he clung to the railing. It was night and the stars reflected off the water. It was beautiful and calming. And it was almost cold out. 

One of the reasons he had come out this late was that he had hoped the cold air would help his nauseated stomach. He was having no such luck. And where as the sight in front of his usually would be relaxing he felt nothing but a tense anticipation. 

He coughed before he lurched towards the rail and threw up into the water below. 

Once the lurching in his torso stopped he leaned his head against the rail and panted. 

He felt a hand touch his back and he peeked an eye over his shoulder, to see Benn standing there. 

"Captain."

Shanks grunted in an exhausted acknowledgement before he left his eyes close as he tried to catch his breath. 

He heard Benn shift his weight before the first mate spoke again. "Captain I think you need to let the doctor look at you. This has gone on now for long enough." 

Shanks grunted and let himself be pulled by Benn. He had a suspicion of what was wrong with him. Well more of an instinctive knowing really. Besides the twinges of occasional pain he felt in his chest and lower stomach were a little obvious. 

He let Benn push him down onto the infirmary's bed and watched his first mates back as he left the room again. He sighed before slinging himself back onto the bed getting in a more comfortable position on the bed with his hands behind his head, staring up at the planked ceiling above him. 

Before he took any action he was going to get the confirmation of another to make sure he was right. 

It didn't take long for Benn to come back with the ship's doctor and he sighed again. "Captain, Benn told me you got sick again. I think it'd be best if I did a full examination on you to find the problem."

Shanks grunted and shifted his eyes back to the ceiling above him. "There's no need. Well maybe later but for now just focus here." He placed one of his hands on his lower abdomen to show where he meant. And when there was no answer he turned his head to look at the two other people in the room. 

Benn had a look on his face that showed he was suspicious, but the doctor was looking at him with wide eyes. Suddenly the doctor turned and shoved Benn out the door, which earned him a surprised 'Hey!' for the trouble, before he turned and went over to one of the various cabinets in the room. 

The doctor turned and walked over to him with a jar of clear cream and a type of denden mushi he hadn't seen before. Or if he had he didn't pay much attention to it. It had, a screen attached to its shell and nothing else. 

"Lift your shirt up and put your arms by your sides." He obeyed and the doctor put on gloves after setting the jar and denden on the small table nearby. He gathered a good bit of the cream out of the jar and smeared it across Shanks lower abdomen before picking up the denden and placing it over the cream. 

A second later the screen gained two moving lines and a number directly under them. The first was a slower and stronger heartbeat. The second was faster and slightly weak, but still there. 

Shanks swallowed and laid his head back down from where he held it to see the screen, once again the planked ceiling came into view before he shifted his eyes to the doctor. He didn't need to be told why there were two heart beats. 

The doctor frowned a tad before turning towards Shanks' face with a smile. "Well Congratulations Captain. You're at least 6 weeks pregnant." 

Shanks felt a half smile twitch on his lips, "And you are worried? About what?" He didn't like the worried glint in his ship doctor's eyes. 

"I'm sure it's nothing. The babies heartbeat is a tad slower than I'd like it to be. Though that can sometimes be normal. We'll have to see as your gestation progresses. But I need to ask a couple questions captain." He responded as he got a rag from one of the other cabinets and removed the denden before starting to wipe away the cream. 

Pointedly trying to ignore what the doctor was doing, but being hyperaware of each one of his movements around where his baby was anyway, he nodded to the beta as a go ahead gesture. 

The doctor finished before setting the rag next to the now asleep denden mushi, before opening a drawer on the other side of the room and pulling out a notepad and pencil, he turned to his captain who had pulled his shirt back down and now rested a hand over it, semi-protectively, semi-gently. As if he was worried if he pressed to hard he could hurt the babe. 

"Have you been feeling any pain?" Well that was a loaded first question. 

Shanks cleared his throat and looked away before answering. "Sometimes. But just twinges and it goes away after a while." 

He heard his ship doctor growl and his eyes glanced over at the man to see him with a more than annoyed look on his face. Yea he knew the beta would be angry for not telling him.

The beta blew an annoyed huff out of his nose before writing in his notepad and continuing on with the questions. "Where?"

"Just my stomach and chest. My chest is more sore than painful."

The doctor nodded. "Your chest is starting to prepare itself to provide for the baby. The pain in you stomach though.." he paused and tapped the pencil against the notepad. "We'd have to wait a few more weeks for me to find out what's causing it," he snapped his head up to Shanks and glared fiercely, "but you tell me if you have any more pain or if it gets any worse." 

Shanks nodded and the doctor turned back to the notepad in hand. "Now with Mihawk gone an alpha scent can be more unsettling to you and some scents may not be as soothing as they once were. Omegas tend to be more sensitive to others scents in an effort to keep them and the baby safe, so if your gut instinct tells you to get away from someone, even if you trust them, don't hesitate to follow it. It's just your instincts and it doesn't cause you or anyone else harm." 

Shanks listened to the beta and watched him as he started to pace around the room as he thought. A quirk of his. "You come to me with any questions, or anything you might notice that your not sure about. If anything changes you come to me, or get Benn to get me." 

He whirled around to face his red haired captain and pierced him with a stern stare. "Promise me." 

Shanks looked back at him with the same amount of seriousness. "I promise."

The doctor nodded. "Good. Now go get some rest. You look tired, besides your going to need it." He nodded and stood before walking out of the infirmary. 

Outside stood the rest of his men, with Benn in front of them all. They were all staring at him with slightly worried looks. 

He paused with slightly wide eyes as he blinked at him. 

Benn broke the silence. "Well?" 

He turned his head to him and blinked before turned to look at all of them. 

He raked his teeth over his bottom lip before steeling his nerves. 

"I'm pregnant."

There was one. Two. Seconds of silence before they all broke out into cheers. 

He looked over to Benn to see his first mate had his eyes closed with a smile on his face. 

Suddenly the door behind him burst open and the ship doctor walked out with a vicious look on his face. "It is one in the morning! Everyone to bed NOW! DOCTOR'S ORDERS!" 

Everyone took off to theirr own hammocks and cabins still laughing all the way. Seeing them do so the doctor shook his head fondly, before turning around and going back into the infirmary. 

Benn looked at the smiling Shanks and put his arm on his captain's shoulder gaining his attention. "Come on Captain. Let's get some rest." 

Shanks smiled and allowed Benn to escort him back to the Captain's quarters. 

 

A bumpy road maybe. But it led here, it was more than worth it.


	4. Mental Conversation

Mihawk/Shanks (4)

(Mental Conversation)

Shanks was, for once, alone in his quarters, he stared down at the hardwood floor as he sat on the edge of his bed. 

He loved his crew. He truly did, but ever since they found out he was pregnant they had been more insistent and doing the things for him that he usually did himself. He hadn't minded at first but then it got annoying. And then it just got plum infuriating when they started to treat him like glass. He had told them off for that and they had backed off, but they where in no way stopping in trying to help him. 

He sighed, he'd just have to deal with that, he knew it was more instincts, protectiveness, and loyalty for their captain that had them acting like that. 

Although that also lead to the other reason he had wanted to be alone.

It had been a week since he had gotten confirmation about 'the little one', and he hadn't contacted Mihawk yet. 

During that week he had felt Mihawk sending pulses through their matebond, laced with concern, questioning, curiosity, and worry. 

He hadn't been able to bring himself to send a response. Not in an emotion sense or to open the door and send a verbal thought to Mihawk. 

As illogical as it was, he was nervous. 

They had never really talked about kids, he had felt the instinctual longing for them, but he hadn't actually brung it into the open or the forefront of his mind. Besides he had never felt like if he had his own kids that he could be a good parent. He knew he'd mess up, and that had always been another reason he had never brung it up with Mihawk. 

He loved Mihawk so much, and as amazing as it would be to have Mihawk's child, he was terrified that when he had the baby and as he or she grew he'd mess up somewhere and Mihawk would take the child and leave him because of it, because Mihawk wouldn't be able to stand being around someone who practically scared their kids for life in some way let alone his kid. 

He jolted as the mental door in his matebond was suddenly forced open so harshly it shattered. And Mihawk's voice suddenly echoed around in his head. 'Shanks! Answer me or so help me, I will drown you when I get back!' Shanks knew he wasn't serious about that but it went to show how mad the other was. 

Especially since he only now realized he had sent enough emotional distress and anxiety through the matebond to make a lesser man go insane. 

He blushed and covered his eyes with his palms, leaning hunched over, carefully not placing to much weight on his stomach area, with his elbows on his knees. 

'I-I'm sorry Mi. I didn't mean to send all that.'

He heard Mihawk sigh. 'It's fine Shanks. What's wrong?' It was posed as a question but it was a demand for an answer. 

Shanks hesitated. 'Um. I maybe..might have.. kinda..uh..' 

He could practically see Mihawk's eyebrows furrow in a mixture of a concerned worry and a tolerant annoyance. 'Red..?' It was softly and Shanks could help the half smile that formed on his face at the nickname Mihawk had given him not long after they had mated. Mihawk didn't say it often but when he did it was something only the two of them shared. It was something Mihawk used to show just how much he loved his mate. 

Shanks sighed before tensing slightly, bringing his knees up as he could wrap his arms around them, and forcing himself to speak. 'Y-You know we never talked about what would happen in the future-y-you k-know between us, and I..' he sighed. 'Why is this so hard. Uh look. I've-uh been getting sick since you left and I kinda thought I knew but I wasn't 100% sure and I wanted a second opinion and now I got it and I-'

'Red-' he interrupted and Shanks rushed out his next words also cutting him off. 

'I'm pregnant.' 

Everything seemed to go silent and Shanks found himself breaking into a sweat and biting his bottom lip. 

When no answer still came he built up enough courage to send a probing thought to Mihawk. 'Mi?' He could almost see Mihawk jolt before shaking his head, as if shaking off a daze, with slightly wide eyes. 

'E-Er yea. Are you sure?'

Shanks nodded even though he knew Mihawk probably couldn't see it. 'I thought I was and I got the ship doctor to check. He picked up two heartbeats. Mine and the baby's.'

It went quiet again but not nearly as long as last time, before Mihawk's voice filled his head again. 'I'll be back tommorrow.' And then the door slammed shut and Shanks was left staring with wide eyes, not exactly sure what happened. 

He bit his lip. That did nothing to calm his nerves. 

It only made them rise.


	5. It Sunk In

Mihawk/Shanks (5)

(It Sunk In)

Shanks tried to stay awake until Mihawk got back, but in the end he ended up falling asleep from exhaustion before his mate made an appearance. 

Mihawk was as quiet as ever when he walked into his and his mate's room. He sat on the edge of the bed and just watched Shank's peaceful face as he slept. 

The red head was breathing slowly with his head pillowed under under his arm. His other hand was resting protectively over his abdomen.

Mihawk's eyes strayed to Shank's lower stomach and he trained his eyes on it. Carefully and slowly he reached out and raised Shank's hand to get a better view of the area. Shank's groaned and shifted till his was flat on his back. 

Mihawk's eyes were sharp as he slowly set the red heads arm down before raising Shank's shirt slightly. 

His eyes were transfixed. Shanks wasn't showing yet, but his abs had started to become softer looking, and less defined. 

He eyes stared in a piercing gaze, before slowly and surely, they softened, and he gently ran his own hand over the area. 

Mihawk loved Shanks. 

There was no denying that. It had been almost three years since they met and two years since they finally mated. And each day he was connect to his love was a day he didn't regret. 

Even when he had to leave the Red Force to go fight someone to become closer to his goal, Shanks was always still there. Sometimes he didn't like leaving, being gone for long, and not being able to have Shanks in his arms, and the red head had seen his irritation at it all, but still never said a word and continued to support Mihawk in whatever way he could. 

Shanks had been a fool to think the swordsman hadn't noticed Shanks' own sadness when Mihawk had to leave. And every time it always made him want to stay more. 

Shanks had become what grounded him to the world. He'd do anything to keep the red head breathing with a steady heartbeat in his chest. He'd give anything to see the red heads smile light up another room like it did his heart. And he'd kill anyone who tried to take Shanks away from him. 

Shanks was his world and he'd always give the red head what he wanted, even if he grumbled and fought whatever it was the whole way. 

He didn't know if Shanks wanted kids.

To Mihawk kids had always been irritating. He saw them as little humans who constantly drooled on their clothes, had snot crusting their faces, screamed 24/7 at the top of their lungs, and where owners of bodies who possessed endless amounts of energy that they could never truly do anything productive with.   
That didn't mean he went around killing or scaring them, but he did try to avoid them whenever he could. 

But this wasn't one of those kids he saw on the streets or in their parent's arms. 

This was his and Shanks' child. A child made through their love for each other. Their bond, their hearts, their bodies, their hands, their love. It was completely different. So different in so many ways, he didn't think he could ever, pinpoint them all or feel distaste or anything but love for their baby. 

But he didn't know what Shanks wanted. He didn't know if Shanks wanted a child or not, or if he wanted to wait till in the future. 

He had seen though. Seen the looks Shanks would give children that ran passed him, or talked excitedly too him because Shanks was a pirate and that was evidently the coolest thing ever to a small mind's imagination. He had seen the looks that hinted at longing Shanks would give mothers when he saw them and their child. 

He knew Shanks loved children. But did Shanks want his own?

Another groan drew his attention to Shanks' face. The red head was twitching a bit before his hand came up and rubbed at his eyes. "When did you get back?" He asked tiredly. 

"A little while ago." Mihawk was watching Shanks every movement. Cataloging it in his mind again. It had been too long since he had seen his mate. They talked to each other every day, but it was different than seeing each in person. 

Shanks yawned as he moved his other hand to place it over his, still bare, abdomen. He looked at Mihawk and smiled slightly before remembering the last time he had talked to Mihawk. He pushed himself up and sat on the bed facing his mate. 

He was suddenly nervous again. "What, uh, you never answered. I-" Mihawk cut him off by slamming his lips into Shanks, making said man suck in a breath. 

Mihawk pulled away and leaned his head against Shanks, holding in in place to do so. "That's my answer. I'm happy for this," he pressed a hand onto Shanks abdomen, applying just enough pressure to get his point across, " but I want to know your answer." 

Shanks eyes widened. His answer? He hadn't given much thought into that, mainly been worried about his mate's answer, but he really hadn't because it was such a no brained to him. 

"I," he laughed half heartedly, suddenly exhausted but too elated for anything, "I'm happy too, I've wanted to have our baby for a long time." 

He smiled a little nervously, and was suddenly met with his mate's lips on his again. 

Mihawk pushed Shanks down to lay on his back, without breaking their lips for each other, and rested his elbows on either side of the captain's head. 

Once the need for air became to great he pulled away and rested his head on Shank's shoulder. 

The red head chuckled as he panted. The words unsaid between them perfectly understood without their utterance. 

Suddenly Shanks laughed, smiling as wide as he could. He was going to have a baby, and not just anyone's but the one he loves' baby. 

A second later Mihawk smiled widely as well. 

They were having a baby.


	6. A Different Kind Of Starvation

Mihawk/Shanks (6)

(A Different Kind Of Starvation)

Mihawk sighed as he heard his mate rush to sit up from their bed, once again, and then came the vomiting, right on cue. 

He grunted, before pushing himself off the bed and walking over to Shank's side. He bent down on his knees beside the red head, and rubbed his back as the other dry heaved. 

Once the spazzing in Shanks body stopped he put his hand around Shanks chest and pulled him back into him. Shanks closed his eyes and leaned back into his mate gratefully, too physically exhausted to attempt to hold himself up. 

Shanks let his head fall back onto his mate's shoulder and sighed as his hand drifted up to cover his abdomen. 

They just sat there a few seconds before Mihawk worked his arms under his mate and carefully lifted him up. Shanks groaned at the movement, as it set off sparks of nausea in his already empty stomach and spun their room like a top in front of his eyes. 

Mihawk sighed as Shanks buried his head into the swordsman's chest with a slight whine, before he walked over to the bed and laid his mate onto it. 

He exhaled as he stood to look down at Shanks, whose face, after a second, scrunched up, before he turned on his side with his arms around his stomach. 

Mihawk grunted before turning around and walking out their bedroom. 

It had been a week since Mihawk had come back to the Red Force, and Shanks was now 8 weeks along. 

Shanks really loved his child already, but the nausea he could do without. 

It had been bad. Shanks had thought it would pass so he hadn't tried to alert the ship doctor about it. That didn't mean his crew didn't see him occasionally with his head over the railing, but they only saw part of it because that was all he wanted them to see. 

He loved his crew, but they really could be worry worts. Especially after Shanks figured out that the smell of oranges usually made him start running to the ship railing. Once the crew had figured it out, he still didn't know how they knew, the only one he told had been his mate, they had dumped all the oranges on board, into the sea. 

It helped, for about two days or so, and then the sickness had returned with a vengeance, and nothing seemed to be the trigger. 

Shanks was suffering. He was constantly waking up in the middle of the night to empty his stomach. Had to repeat the process at least three times a day, and again when he woke up in the mornings. 

Mihawk seeing him suffer, wanted to drag the ship doctor to the captain, but Shanks had rebuffed the idea saying it'd probably pass in a couple days. 

It didn't. 

It got to the point where food had started to become unappetizing. Even more so when all he could think when he took a bite was that he would be tasting it again later. As gross as that thought was. 

He was so tired, and exhausted. Constantly throwing his stomach out of his body was taking a lot out of him. 

It was painful too. Especially since his body couldn’t decide if it was hungry or nauseous. He knew he needed to eat, even had occasional sparks of strong hunger cramps before they turned to vicious nausea at the thought of food, if not for him at least for the baby. But he just couldn’t bring himself to eat. 

And it was taking its toll on him. 

Shanks had drifted off slightly in his exhaustion, but hadn’t been able to fall any deeper into sleep, when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and heard someone’s voice above him. Even if he couldn’t exactly make out the words. 

He just grunted and let them do whatever. He didn’t care at this point. He just wanted to sleep. 

Mihawk, who had went and got the ship doctor, stood by the door watching as Shanks just later on his back, with his eyes still closed, and let the doctor do what he needed. 

The doctor sighed before pulling out a needle from the small bag he had brung with him and placed it in his lap as he handled Shanks arm closer to him. 

He watched the doctor rub his thumb over the crook in Shanks elbow for a few minutes before picking up the needle and placing it where his thumb had been. He drew some blood before extracting the needle, caping it, and putting it back into his bag. 

Mihawk and the doctor though were briefly alarmed at how pale Shanks had turned from loosing such a small amount. “Ok. I’m assuming here, but how much has he truly eaten this past week, and how much of it has he kept down?” The doctor’s voice came off a little panicked. 

At the doctors tone, Mihawk clenched his fists. Something was wrong with his mate. “He tried to eat every day. He had trouble doing so. I think he was only able to eat about half of a normal portion and he usually ended up only keeping probably a third of that.”

The doctor whipped his head around. “And you didn’t think to come get me!?”

Mihawk’s eyebrows furrowed and he growled. “I wanted to, but he kept refusing and insisted that he was fine. All I was able to do was make sure I could help him.”

The doctor glared for a moment before reluctantly backing down with a sigh. “He’s missing a lot of nutrients for himself and the baby. I’m surprised he hasn’t passed out yet, and if this had gone on much longer one or both of them could have died.” Mihawk swallowed hard. “I’ll have to set up an IV and work on a formula that will help his nausea and vomiting. I’ll be right back.” The doctor quickly got up and ran out of the room towards the infirmary. 

Mihawk swallowed before sighing and sitting on the edge of the bed to glide his hand through Shanks’ hair. 

The doctor came back and worked quickly to set up and IV in Shanks arm, before stepping back. 

“He needs to sleep. The IV will give him what he needs and keep him asleep for a while. I’ll work on the formula while he’s like this, but if he wakes up before I’m finished he is not allowed to leave this bed. Got that.” 

Mihawk nodded and the doctor stood there for a second, watching his captain, and rubbing his hands though his hair in frustration. 

He nodded once again before walking out of the captain’s quarters. 

Mihawk sighed. This was only the 8th week.


	7. Wake The Danger

Mihawk/Shanks (7)

(Wake The Danger)  
—(xXx)—

A groan drew Mihawk’s attention to the only other occupant in the room. 

He watched Shanks face twitch before his mate slowly blew out a breath, forcing his eyes open as his head lulled to take in his surroundings. 

Mihawk pushed off the wall from where he had been watching the ocean to walk over to his mate’s bedside. 

Shanks’ eyes looked to him when he stepped into the red head’s view. A weak smile twitched at the edge of the red head’s lips as his mate neared before sitting on the edge of the bed. 

Mihawk placed a hand over Shanks’ torso lightly brushing his fingers over the red head’s abdomen. He looked down at the red head, his eyebrows crinkled slightly. He spoke lowly as if he was afraid to break the fragile silence in the room. “Hey. How you feeling?”

Shanks groaned and sighed, before answering his voice soft from exhaustion. “Better, I guess. What happened?”

Mihawk pressed his lips together before answering. “You were exhausted. Doc put you under so you could get some rest.”

Shanks groaned, closing his eyes as his hand came up to hold his head. “Really? I guess that’s why my head’s pounding.” He opened his eyes, letting his arm fall back down, to tired to hold it up as he looked back to Mihawk. Mihawk’s face was pensive, it seemed out of place to Shanks. “There’s something else. What is it?” 

Shanks watched as Mihawk’s jaw flexed in a tightening motion, before the other finally answered. “You body wasn’t getting what it needed so it started to take it from anywhere it could find it. Not being angle to hold anything down you were practically starving yourself, and the baby.”

Shanks eyes went wide and he shot up only to jolt from the sudden vertigo and weakness assaulted him. Mihawk’s arms shot out to steady him. One around his shoulders and the other around the small of his back. 

“Slow down. You’ve been out for three days.” 

Shanks groaned and shook his head to try and wash away the twirling motion in front of his eyes. “The baby. Are they ok?! Tell me-“

Mihawk’s arms tightened around the red head as he cut the other off. “The baby is fine. According to your ship doctor, your body was giving all it could to the baby, hence why you had nothing left for yourself.” Shanks sighed, sagging against Mihawk in relief. 

They stayed like that for a moment. Each realizing how close they had been to loosing everything. 

Mihawk sighed as he gently pushed Shanks back down on his back. Shanks let himself be pushed down, too exhausted to stay sitting up. Mihawk places his hand back over Shanks’ abdomen and a second later the red head’s hand joined his. 

Their hands interlocked with each other’s, holding on tightly to one another. All too aware of what could have been. 

Shanks sighed before looking at Mihawk. “I’m sorry Mi. I-“

Mihawk Locking their gazes with a hard stare, effectively cutting the red head off with his next words. “Don’t. It’s not your fault. You thought it would pass.”

Shanks blew out a frustrated breath and shook his head slightly, as to not make himself have a sudden rush of dizziness again. “I should still have listened to you. But I didn’t and we almost-“ Shanks cut himself off. Glaring at the ceiling and biting his lip, so he wouldn’t glare at his mate in his self-hate. 

He heard Mihawk sigh and a second later there was a gentle probing down the bond link in his mind. 

He forced himself to relax and allow Mihawk’s thoughts to filter into his mind. “Stop blaming yourself. You couldn’t have known that it had gotten this bad. And forcing those standards onto yourself isn’t going to do you any good. The baby’s alright. You are alright. The rest is in the past and there is nothing we can do to change it. We won’t let this happen again, so don’t dwell on it.” 

Shanks let out a shaky sigh and turned his head away from Mihawk, as tears started to form. 

Mihawk watched his mate hide his face away behind his hair and grunted before leaning down to circle his arm under Shanks’ shoulders, and leaning his face into the red head’s neck. Breathing in Shanks’ scent of alive, bearing, slightly weak with sickness, and just everything that made up the scent of Shanks. 

Mihawk, after taking one last breath of his mate’s scent, moved his hand to Shanks’ head. Turning it back towards him. 

He leaned over the red head as he forced him to look into his eyes, by holding his head still. He took in Shanks’ face, tear tracks rolling down slightly flushed cheeks, messy crimson hair spilled around his head and stuck to his face, and a desperate look in his love’s eyes. So so desperate. Desperate for everything to be alright. Desperate for their baby to survive healthy and happy. Fear lingered alongside it and Mihawk feast desperation rise in his own chest, wishing he could take that fear away. 

He hugged Shanks to himself, holding him tightly as the red head gripped at his clothes. 

Fear was a dangerous road to go down.


End file.
